Shafts for vehicles



(No Model.)

B. GRAOEY.

SHAFTS FOR VEHICLES.

Patented May 6, 1890.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT ROBERT GRAOEY, OF ALLEGHENY, ASSIGNOR TOR. GRAOEY & SONS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHAFTS FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,507, dated May 6,1890.

Serial No. 315,934. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- v

Be it known that I, ROBERT GRACEY, of Allegheny, in the county ofAllegheny and State Of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Shafts for Vehicles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in shafts for vehicles; and itconsists in the devices hereinafter more fully explained.

I will now describe my invention so that others skilled in the art maymanufacture and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l isa-plan View of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a detached detail View of apart of the same. Fig. 3 is a modification. Fig. 4 is a detached view ofone form of spreader or separator. Fig. 5 is a view of a modification ofthe same.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

I-leretofore in the construction of tubular and other shafts greattrouble has been experienced informing tight and sure connectionsbetween the shafts and the cross-bars. These shafts and cross-cars,being composed either wholly or partially of tubular metal, are liablein use to become loose and disconnected.

The object of my invention is to provide means by which the parts willbe tightly secured to each other, so as to prevent rattling orloosening, and to this end, instead of employing a single tubularcross-bar, I employ two bars, both of which are connected with theshafts and are at their middle portion connected or brought in contactwith a separator or spreading-block, by which means any twisting orloosening action imparted in use to one bar is counteracted by theother.

In the drawings, Cb represents the shafts, and b c the two cross-bars.These bars may be of wood or metal, as is desired, and the shafts may beformed either of tubular metal or of wood or other material, the onlydifference being that in the case of the tubular shaft a metallic.coupling d is employed, by means of which the cross-bars are eitherwelded, riveted, or connected by a screw-connection, or in other ways,with the shafts, while in the case of a wooden shaft a coupling c isemployed, which is bolted to the shaft, and to this coupling-piece thecrossbars are connected in a like manner. \Vhere it is desired to securethe singletree to the cross-bars, I employ the spreader or separatorshown in Fig. at, this separator being provided with a suitable socketfor the singletree-bolt. Where, however, there is no connection desiredbetween the cross-bars and the singletree, a plain spreader orseparating-block f may be employed, as shown in Fig. 5.

The advantages of my improvement are that by means of thedoublecross-bars all tendency to distortion or loosening of the parts isprevented, and the shafts are rendered perfectly rigid and secure.

I do not desire to limit myself to any special means of securing thedouble crossbars to either the tubular metal shaft or the wooden shaft,as this is a matter within the discretion of a skilled mechanic.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improvement in shafts for vehicles, the combination of theshafts, two or more bars permanently connected with the shafts, and aspreader or separating-block situate between the two bars, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

2. As an improvement in shafts for vehicles, the combination of theshafts, two or more cross-bars, and a separating-block arranged betweenthe two bars and provided with a singletreebolt socket, substantially asand for the purposes described.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May, A.D. 18 89.

ROBERT GRACEY.

WVitncsses:

W. B. Conwm, JNo. K. SMITH.

